


first steps

by kindlystrawberry



Category: Rune Factory 4
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family Fluff, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fluff and Humor, Fluff without Plot, literally how many fluff tags can I find
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:01:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25981012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kindlystrawberry/pseuds/kindlystrawberry
Summary: It’s Leon’s day to watch Luna, and that makes Leon happy for two reasons: one, he gets to spend the day with his darling 9-month-old child, the light of his life, and two, that means since Frey will be gone all day otherwise, it’s her turn to feed Luna breakfast.Made for RF Weeks' Rune Factory 14th Anniversary Celebration Week, day 1 prompt: First Step
Relationships: Frey/Leon (Rune Factory), Leon & Luna
Comments: 8
Kudos: 35





	first steps

**Author's Note:**

> I think I took the prompt very literally, haha, but regardless this was very fun to write. Like always, this sort of got away from me, but I hope it's fun to read regardless. Let me know what you think! And check out RF Weeks' stuff (https://rfweeks.tumblr.com/post/625191303092764672/rune-factory-14th-anniversary-celebration) for more great Rune Factory content, and another fic by me coming up in about a week for their big bang event!

It’s Leon’s day to watch Luna, and that makes Leon happy for two reasons: one, he gets to spend the day with his darling 9-month-old child, the light of his life, and two, that means since Frey will be gone all day otherwise, it’s her turn to feed Luna breakfast.

“Come on sweetie,” Frey coos, sitting at the dining table. She’s holding out a spoon and making noises as she tries to convince her daughter to accept the bite of porridge. “ _Wirrrr,_ here comes the airship! Coming in for landing!”

Their daughter looks entranced by the way the spoon is moving around in the air, and Frey manages to slip the food into her mouth. 

“Good job! Now come on Luna, be a good girl for mommy and swallow. Isn’t it yummy? Mommy made porridge just for you. I know you like milk porridge, even if daddy doesn’t.” Frey says in a sing-song way. 

Luna’s blinking her wide eyes at Frey, otherwise not moving. Luna’s cheeks look big and round like a chipsqueek’s, and Leon wishes he could capture this moment in a painting and keep it forever. 

Leon had felt his wife get out of bed early this morning— and then slightly later while he was dozing heard her take Luna into the kitchen— but it wasn’t until about three-quarters of an hour later that Leon managed to get up and join the land of the living. Still slightly groggy, he had shoved his hair back into some semblance of neatness, tightened the sash around his night robe, and waltzed over to the kitchen. 

That’s where he is now, the fuzziness of waking up quickly fleeting as he leans against the door frame, watching the scene of his family with an embarrassing stutter in his chest.

_His family._

Those words still feel so good to say.

Still, the altruistic fondness doesn’t last long, as soon Leon is biting into his fist, struggling not to laugh. 

“Please, please keep it all in this time,” Frey barters with the toddler. “Or at least most of it. A good chunk of it? I’ll settle for 60%. Come on Luna, there you go.”

A beat of silence passes. Then Luna spits out the food, splattering it all over Fery’s chin and chest. Leon doesn’t have to see Frey’s face to know the expression she’s making— frustrated, exhausted, understanding, all somehow adorable. Apparently his chuckles get too noisy, though, because as she’s wiping at herself with a napkin Frey glares at him over her shoulder. 

Leon can only double over in laughter.

“Glad to see you’re finally awake.” Frey does that thing that’s always impressed Leon, where she manages to sound both incredibly peeved and undeniably fond at the same time. 

“You’re the one that woke up so early, love.”

Finally making his way into the kitchen, Leon leans over the chair to wrap his arms around Frey’s shoulders. He plants a kiss on her forehead, and she drops her head back against his chest.

“Mmm. I know how long it takes, I wanted to make sure I had the time to properly feed her and get dressed before the meeting today.”

“Isn’t it at nine?” 

“Arthur wanted to meet up early to go over some things before the merchants arrive. I think Porco wanted me to taste test whatever he’s making them, too.”

Luna’s staring at Leon as the newest arrival. He raises his hand slightly to wave at her, and she bangs her little hands against the table and lets out a happy squeal. He grins.

“And a good morning to you, Luna. Giving your mother a hard time?”

Frey laughs, thunking her head once against his chest. “We’re about halfway through. I just have to finish this bowl, and then get dressed—” Frey glances over at the clock and startles, jostling out of both the chair and Leon’s hold. “Oh! I didn’t realize how much time passed. Oh gods, okay,” She starts shoveling a heaping portion of porridge onto the spoon, “Come on Luna, let’s finish up quick so mommy can get going. Please, please, please.”

Luna simply blinks at her mother, as if offended that anyone would dare rush her.

Frey groans, and Leon lets out a warm laugh again. He puts a hand on Frey’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry about it. You go get ready, I’ll finish the rest.”

“Are you sure?”

Leon’s already settling into the vacant chair, taking the bowl and spoon out of his wife’s hands.

“Of course. A princess can’t leave her guests waiting. Father-and-Daughter’s day off together will get to start a bit early.” He lifts up a normal portion of food, and the smell of milk wafts up. Leon’s nose crinkles.

This time it’s Frey’s turn to press a kiss to his cheek and laugh, the sound as sweet and refreshing as the summer’s breeze.

“Thank you, honey.” She starts pattering about the kitchen, washing her hands and putting things back into place as Leon raises the spoon and starts twirling it through the air. “It’ll probably go on late tonight, but I think we’ll have a break at 17:00, so I’ll try to pop in and see how you two are doing.”

“If the two of us are back by then. Luna and I also have a busy day planned, you know. Topple a few kingdoms, participate in debauchery, memorize a couple of ancient languages, the works.” 

_“Leon.”_ Frey rolls her eyes.

“Just kidding,” Leon coos, slipping the spoon into his daughter’s mouth, who beams at him with her cheeks full. “Luna’s our precious girl. Yes you are. You can’t do anything bad. No, never. You’re perfect.” 

Luna sloshes the food around in her mouth and then swallows it, and Leon pumps his fists up in a cheer. 

“Atta girl! Look at you go, daddy’s so proud of you!” 

Luna joins in the celebration with happy noises. 

“Although, to be fair, I don’t know how you can stand this milk porridge, but I’m not going to judge a lady on her choices. Now, another spoon.”

Frey laughs and steps out of the kitchen. She’s dressed and out of the house by 7:05 AM, after a few more kisses and reassurances from Leon that everything would be fine. 

A fair amount of very important merchants were coming into town today, as part of an event that Arthur, Frey, and the castle staff have been planning for weeks. Their goals were to show and look at wares, entertain the guests to boost the image of Selphia, and hopefully secure valuable trade deals by the end of the day. It wasn’t a particularly stressful event— most of the merchants visiting were ones who were already in contact with Arthur and selling to Selphia, who simply wanted to visit or renew their ties. 

Most of the day was taking place in Arthur’s office and the restaurant, and so the town wasn’t particularly involved, other than the general gossip and excitement that came with any day disrupting the idyllic norm of Selphia. Normally Leon would be asked to come in and show some magic tomes, or deal with either the gem traders or the linguists interested in the ancient tongue. This time none of the guests were in his particular field of interest, though. On top of that, after the last time Leon made his presence known to some visitors (a couple of low-ranking noble tourists who were being obnoxious about the inn, and so Leon of course simply stepped in and politely told them that if they couldn’t see all the love and class poured into the establishment then they could take their tasteless selves elsewhere) and apparently “offended” them, Leon wasn’t allowed to deal with official Selphian events like these unless he had some relevance to them. 

That suits him just fine; he’s not particularly fond of nobility nor most of the upper-class traders of Norad, anyway, and this way he gets to take a day off and spend the entire time with his precious daughter. Arthur could breathe more easily, Frey will only have worry about her own conduct, and Leon will get to enjoy Luna’s company. 

It’s a win all around.

“Okay, Luna.” Leon’s wiping off her face as he asks, very seriously, “What would you like to do first, little one? Sunbathe by the lake? A short walk around the forest? A tour around town?”

At that last part Luna starts making what Leon and Frey call her ‘happy sounds,’ so Leon finishes cleaning her and gives a very sage nod of his head.

“A tour around town, good choice. You have to pay a visit to your adoring fans, of course.” He starts cleaning and packing up their things as he speaks to her, and the way his daughter’s wide, curious eyes stay trained on Leon the entire time could make his heart melt in his chest. 

* * *

“Luna.” 

The sun is shining very brightly today as Leon steps out onto the square. He shields his eyes with a hand and glances down at the baby strapped to his chest via a very expertly tied cloth wrap. 

“Where to first? You lead the way. Ah— except for the restaurant, of course. Mommy’s doing some very important business there with some very boring people.”

Luna is silent for a long moment, one that Leon decides is surely full of thoughtful deliberation. Soon enough she stares very pointedly in the direction of Bado’s store, and Leon happily obliges.

The walk around town is a pleasant one, with Leon turning in whichever direction his daughter seems to have a preference for. This leads to a few funny looks from others (especially when Luna walks him knee-deep into the lake and then right back out again), but Leon takes keeping his promises very seriously, and so he goes wherever Luna leads.

Finally she seems to tire of walking when they’re near the Inn, so Leon leans against one of the walls and lets the breeze cool them both down. It ruffles through her hair and makes her giggle, and again Leon’s heart feels like it might actually fall out of his chest. He smooths down Luna’s greenish-blue hair back into place, marveling in how large his hand looks against her head.

“Bright hello!” Xiao Pai calls out cheerily as she walks towards the Inn, a crate filled to the brim with ingredients held precariously in her arms. “It’s good to see you, yes? And Luna too, of course! Hello, Luna!”

Luna lets out a noise of acknowledgment, and Xiao Pai gushes. 

“That’s her way of saying hello,” Leon says. “Her greetings might be more normal than yours, half of the time.”

“Hey!” Xiao Pai puffs out her cheeks indignantly, and Leon grins. “That’s not very nice. I have been practicing my greetings plenty with Mama, and she says they’re sweet.”

Leon spots Doug and Dylas walking over from the restaurant, and is quick to call out to them.

“Hello, you two. Who do you think gives a more normal greeting, Xiao Pai or Luna?”

“Uh—” Doug crosses his arms uncomfortably. “Yeah. I’m not getting in the middle of this.”

“You know,” Dylas sounds like he wasn’t paying attention in the slightest, instead staring thoughtfully at where Luna is wrapped against Leons’ chest. The fabric crisscrosses all around Leon’s torso and shoulders. “I think this is the most covered I’ve ever seen you.”

Doug breaks out laughing. “Yeah! You’re right.”

“Disappointed?” Leon asks with a smirk, and he enjoys the flustered protests that Dylas lets out. Far too easy a target.

“Ah—! Except at your and Frey’s wedding, yes?” Xiao Pai nods at herself. “You were both very clothed then.”

“You’re right. I remember putting on all those layers made me nearly claustrophobic, actually. But, well,” Leon can’t help but smile, just slightly, as he recalls his wedding day. “It was worth it.”

“Man, it’s really been a while since then, huh?” Doug’s scratching his chin. “I mean, it feels like you and Frey’ve been married forever.” 

Doug glances down at Luna, and the other three soon follow. She’s softly dozing, looking as if she’s desperately trying to keep her eyes open despite her exhaustion. 

“Mmm,” Leon hums softly as a response, gently stroking his daughter’s hair. His voice is a whisper when he says, “I should get back and let this one sleep.”

* * *

Leon glances up from the book he’s reading, first at the clock, and then at his daughter. 

17:02. 

Frey should be able to pay a visit soon. 

Luna’s sitting on the mat Leon had laid down for her earlier, and if there are a couple shiny, brand new toys half-opened in the corner, it’s not that he spoiled her today. Of course he didn’t! And, well… even if he did, it’s hardly Leon’s fault, of course. He’s never been able to say no to his daughter when she stares up at him with those wide, impossibly innocent yet perceptive green eyes of hers. 

He has the sneaking suspicion that the 9-month-old has caught on and started using this against him already, and it is a testament to how far gone he is with his love for her that he doesn’t mind in the slightest. Any excuse to spoil his daughter is a good one, in his opinion, especially when she rewards him with a luminous smile or a shrieking laugh.

Luna’s staring at where Leon is sitting at the living room table. Once she has her father’s attention she starts crawling, racing down the mat area. Leon smiles from ear to ear, and gets up to sit down on the floor near her, resting his back against the wall. Luna continues to crawl around with vigor.

“Very good, sweetie!” His voice comes out as a sickeningly sweet coo, the kind reserved only for when he and his daughter are alone together. He’s overflowing with the pure, glowing pride that Luna puts in his chest. “If you keep that up you should be able to challenge the airships in no time at all. Maybe we should put you on a horse and see how fast you go then.”

He chuckles at the thought, and Luna starts laughing too. 

“Ah, why thank you. I always knew you had a good sense of humor.”

Luna gets distracted by something on the other end of the mat and starts crawling towards it, so Leon takes the time to glance up at the clock again. 

17:05. Damn, hardly any time has passed. 

He’s enjoyed his day with Luna immensely, of course he has, but even if he doesn’t want to admit it aloud, he misses Frey terribly. It’s not just today— with the planning that went into the trade meeting, she’s been busy for quite some time now. He doesn’t blame her, and wouldn’t want to anyway, because he loves how much effort and care she puts into being Selphia’s acting princess, and he knows more than anything that Frey is a vital part of this town. But regardless of logic Leon misses her anyway, and finds that after today he wants nothing more than to tuck her against his chest and not let go for a couple years. 

He hears a noise and looks up immediately to see Luna gripping onto the frame of the master bed with what was probably all of the strength she could muster in her little fists, standing on two, wobbly legs. Leon leans forward, immediately dropping whatever book he was reading. 

“Okay, Luna.” Leon’s tone is serious and even. “I know you’ve been practicing this. This time, you can do it.” 

She takes a few steps forward, leaning against the bed frame the entire time. 

“Yes! Very good. You’re doing fantastic.” Leon holds his arms out. “Now, come to daddy. You can do it, sweetie. Come on.”

After a few moments of blinking at him, Luna takes very slow, shaky steps towards him, completely letting go of the bedframe. Leon holds his breath, trying to keep in his excitement so he doesn’t startle her. Instead he opts for cooing out encouragements.

He watches in pure amazement as Luna— the little human being that she is, that he helped create— makes it all the way across the mat towards him. In the last few steps she looks like she’s about to grab onto his outstretched hands for support, but at the last minute completely ignores them. Leon lets out a watery laugh, unable to help it: she’s just as stubbornly independent as her mother, it seems.

Finally, she collapses against his chest in a hug.

“You did it! You did!” Leon immediately scoops her up in his arms and starts swinging her in the air around the room. She squeals out in delight. “Daddy is so, so proud of you. And so fast! Jones and Nancy said this probably wouldn’t happen for another two or three months.”

He stops to hold her in front of him, her little legs dangling in the air and her face bright with a smile. 

“Luna,” He looks into her eye as he speaks, very seriously. “You’re a genius. Of course you are; you’re my daughter. Regardless, I’m incredibly impressed.”

“Gah.”

“You’re welcome,” Leon replies automatically. Then something dawns on him. “Oh, gods— we have to show your mother! Ah— she’ll be upset if she misses this. Let me…”

The packing isn’t frantic, of course, because Leon is Very Cool and Collected at All Times, but he is setting Luna down, rolling up the mat, and putting things into a bag rather hurriedly. 

In less than fifteen minutes he’s scooped Luna back up into his arms and is carrying her towards the restaurant. He slows his steps to watch as countless traders dressed in cravats, travel coats, and rather large hats (not that Leon can pass judgment on that) are all congregated outside of Arthur’s office. Considering the fact that he was _technically_ banned from this event (and from “harassing” any of the nobles) by one very stern blonde man, Leon hovers near the back, hoping to remain invisible.

A moment later Porcoline steps out of the restaurant and addresses the crowd. 

“Everyone, excuse me please. I thank you deeply for your patience. If you would all wait just another few minutes, I will have a _fantabulous_ arrangement of hors d'oeuvres prepared for _vous_ by _moi_ for your pre-dinner break. Thank you!” 

The chef saunters back into the restaurant. Once everyone is conversing again Leon slips through the outside doors leading to Arthur’s office.

“Yes, agreed, I believe—”

Arthur glances up from where he and Frey seem to be poring over a map strewn out across his desk.

“Darling!” Frey exclaims.

“Ah, Leon. And Luna, hello.” Arthur’s smile is soft (no one in Selphia could resist the charm of Luna, that was certain) as he sits back in his chair to rub tiredly at his eyes. “It’s always a pleasure to see her sweet face.”

Frey glances at the clock as she walks towards Leon. “Oh— I’m sorry, I was just about to come back to visit, we simply got caught up on one of the last points brought up before the break.”

“It isn’t a problem at all. Rather, I’m sorry to barge in and interrupt, but I have to show you something.”

Arthur’s absently arranging a few things on his desk. “Not at all, you have good timing. Frey, let’s look over this again after Mr. Rayburn has decided what he plans to do with the trading boats. You should enjoy your family.”

Frey smiles back at him as he walks to the connecting door towards the restaurant. 

“Sure, that sounds good.”

The door clicks softly behind Arthur, and Frey immediately glances back up at Leon. She leans forward to press a kiss against Luna’s head, who’s staring at her mother from Leon’s arms.

“What was it you want to show me?”

Leon grins and hands Luna over to Frey.

“Ah, princesses must be patient.” 

He goes about laying out the mat across the office floor (he’s sure Arthur won’t mind for just a few minutes), and then sits down at one end of it. He makes a motion for Frey to set Luna down, and pats the spot on the floor next to him.

“Come, love.”

Frey eyes her husband with slight suspicion, but Leon can already see the excitement that she’s trying to contain.

“Is this—?” She asks as she sits next to him.

“Hold out your arms,” Leon says warmly, then looks over at Luna, who’s sitting on her hand and knees while looking up at them. “Okay, little one. Just like you showed me earlier. Come to us.”

After a few long, quiet seconds Luna starts to stand up, again on two, wobbly legs. This time without the bed frame to hold onto she falls once or twice, but the mat cushions it. Each time she gets right back up again, and Leon can practically _feel_ Frey vibrating with excitement from where she sits next to him.

Frey’s doing the same as he did, cooing encouragement to their daughter.

Leon laughs softly. “She’s very stubborn, isn’t she? Remind you of anyone?”

Frey shoots him a look, but her attention is immediately drawn back as Luna takes a single step forward.

“That’s it, you got it!”

“Yes, just like that!”

Now the two of them are cheering her on, and Luna is practically glowing from the praising tones of their voice as she walks, slowly but surely, over to Frey’s extended arms. Unlike last time, though, she does actually grab onto Frey’s hands for support, and Leon has to physically stop himself from pouting that his daughter chose not to let him help her the first time around.

Frey is absolutely radiant, though, as she pulls Luna into a tight hug.

“You did it! You did it! Luna, you took your first steps! I’m so proud of you.” Frey glances over at Leon, wide-eyed. “I thought Jones and Nancy said this wasn’t going to happen for another three months?”

He shrugs, unable to keep the smile off his face. “Ah, well. What can I say? Our daughter is _very_ talented.”

Frey grins back. “Very.”

She raises her hand to wipe her fingers gently at his cheeks, and that’s when Leon realizes for the first time that he had been crying.

“Gah!” Luna adds excitedly, and immediately Frey and Leon are back to gushing over her. 

Eventually she wiggles out of their embrace, too energetic to be held down for long, and Leon is leaning back on his arm. Frey is resting against him, her back lined up along the side of his chest and her head resting on his shoulder. She’s a comforting, warm weight against his side.

“You know,” Leon murmurs. “For one of the few times in my life, I almost wish time would stop again. Just so we could have this moment for eternity.”

“Almost?”

“Mmm.” The two of them watch as Luna crawls around the mat, peering curiously at the many things decorating Arthur’s office. “Almost. I know what makes this moment truly special is the fact that it won’t last. We have to enjoy it while we can.”

“I think you’re right,” Frey says, voice soft. “But also, I think what makes it special is that there’s so many more moments to come. Not just her first steps, but everything else, too. None of them will be quite the same but… that’s what makes them unique memories.” She looks up at him and meets his eyes, blushing slightly. “That’s what I think, at least.”

“Keep saying things like that...” Leon’s voice drops as he leans over to whisper in her ear, “And I won’t be able to help but want you all to myself.”

Frey’s blush turns vivid. “L-Leon!”

He laughs full and loud, moving back. “Just kidding. Well, half-kidding. You should see your face right now.”

“Geez.” After a few moments of staring down at her nails, Frey adds, voice just barely above a whisper, “Well… Lin Fa’s been asking if she could watch Luna sometime, you know. After this dinner is all over and I can come back home tonight, maybe we can take her up on that and you and I _can_ spend time together.”

This time Leon’s traitorous face is the one to burn a bright crimson, and before he can articulate more than a few half-complete thoughts Frey drops her face against him to laugh into his shoulder. 

“Right, well.” After a minute Leon manages to clear his throat. “For now, we both have very pressing matters to attend to. You have to deal with a crowd of merchants, and I have to go show off my daughter’s unparalleled talent to anyone who will listen.”

Frey giggles again. “Of course.”

Leon looks over to where Luna is unsuccessfully trying to pull a knick-knack off of Arthur’s coffee table, and he’s on his feet in seconds to pick her up.

“Ah ah ah, no Luna, please don’t break anything.”

His daughter lets out a whine of protest. Just over his shoulder Leon can hear that Frey’s trying to stifle a laugh against her hand.

“Come now,” he says to Luna. “Don’t be upset, precious one. Why don’t we take one last walk around town for the evening, and show you off everywhere? And maybe you can stay with Lin Fa and Xiao Pai tonight.”

Frey, who has been packing up the things Leon brought, hands them over to him now. He takes the bag with a thank you, and Luna immediately cheers up with excited noises.

“Ah— however,” Leon adds, “this time I’ll be the one doing the walking, okay?” 


End file.
